Clarinet construction



Oct. 13, 1931. I A. CICIOTTI 1,827,069

CLARINET CONSTRUCTION Filed July 7,- 1930 wmiaoiiz,

' is ATTORNEY! Patented Oct. 13, 1931 ED STATES PATENT OFFICE i ANDREA CICIOTTI, or nocnns'rna, miw roux, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro ALrnoNsE SANTABELLI, or .nocnnscrnn, new YORK 7 i Y CLARINET CONSTRUCTION Application filed July 7, 1980. Seriallo.l466,121. V

the covers when the keys for other covers are operated, so as to produce a true and correct tone.

Another object is the provision of means for operation of the high G sharp cover in is the Boehm type of clarinet upon the operation of othercovers. T I

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvement of the above character which can be easily, readily, andcheapis ly applied to existing clarinets without material alterations thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improvement of the class described which is-simple, practical, and'inexpensive to manufacture.

To these and otherends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as willbe hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims atthe end of thespecification.

In the drawings: Fig.1is a side elevation of a portion sofa clarinet embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a planview of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line X X of "Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional viewtaken substaner; tially on the line Y--Y ofFig. 1 looking i the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 shows certain of the parts detached. Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

4c The invention is embodied in the present instance, by way of illustration, in a clarinet of theBoehm type having a tubular body generally indicated by letter X' which has mounted thereon, a group of spring actuated 1; finger keys indicated by the numerals 12, 13, and 1-4, suitably located for manipulation by the fingers of the left hand. Spaced from the above group of keys, is another group indicated by the numerals15, 16, and 17 suitably located for manipulation by the'fingers to and rotatable with the rocker shaft 27 ,w the and is of such a shape that when the portion of the right hand. The keys of the "latter group are operatively connected to the keys of the former group and also totone cov'ers,

. in azmanner hereinafter described.-

A cover 18-corresponding to the G notes! a cover 19 corresponding to the B note and armor 2O correspondingto the F: sharp note are operated and controlled by the spring actuatedv finger keys 15, 16, and- 17, respectively. These finger keys, which are-Ego manipulated by the fingers ofthe right hand, are operatively connected-to the finger keys 12,13, and 14, in the usual manner, so that the latter group may operate and control the former "group. This interconnection be- 105 tween the two groups enablesthe"(3 cover, the B cover and the F'sharp cover to be operated with. the fingers'of either hand.

. Secured to the under side of the finger key is a depending arm 21 which. extends 1 10 downwardly and between the finger keys 16 and 17 andtterminates in a bifurcated portion 22, having one prong-of saidbifurcation un der'the'finger key 16 and one underfthe finger key 17. All of the above construction, however, is old, and therefore does notconstiti'lte a part of the present invention.

The present invention provides a means for operating the high G sharpcover from any one of the six above mentioned finger keys andembodies, by way of illustration, a

rocker shaft 23, secured in suitable bearings 24;, having the arms 25 and 26 secured to and rotatable therewith. and an arm 28 secured shaft 27, however, being part of the old construction. The upwardly extending arm 25, on the shaft 23, contacts with'the cam surface ofthe member 22 on the depending arm 21,

22 moves downwardly this arm is forced to moveto the right as viewed in Fig. 4 and thus imparts :a clockwise rotary motion to the shaft 23. The downwardly extending arm 26 is secured to the shaft 23 at the end opp0-L site to that of the arm 25. When the arm 25 is moved. to the right, rotating the shaft 23 in the clockwise direction, as noted above, the arm 26 moves to the left and carries with it the arm28, as hereinafter described.

Figs. 1 and 3 show a second rocker shaft 27 pivoted in suitable bearings and provided with an arm 28 whiclrextends first transversely of the instrument body and then longitudinally thereof. This arm is rotatable with the shaft 27 and contacts with the arm 26, previously mentioned. An upwardly extending lug 28a is rigidly secured to and rotatable with the rocker shaft 27. This lug 28 engages a depending lug 29 secured to and rotatable with a third rocker shaft 30 to which is secured, in the usual manner. the G sharp cover.

The finger keys 12, 13, and l4qhave been slightly extended and rearranged as shown in Fig. 2 so as to provide a more convenient location and arrangement.

Referring to Fig. 3 it is seen that the G sharp cover is provided with a spring 40 which will lift the G" sharp cover when the lugs 28a and 29 are disengaged. The springs 19 and 20 associated with the finger keys above mentioned are. however. stronger than the spring 40 and will hold the finger keys in the elevated position and the lugs 28a and 29 in engagement thus retaining the G sharp cover in closed position. However. upon depressing any one of the finger keys. against the action of their respective springs, the lug 28a is moved out of engagement with the lug 29 and the spring 40 will then open the G sharp cover.

The mechanism operates in the following manner: When the finger key 15. see Fig. 4., is depressed, against the action of its spring, it carries with it the arm 21 and the bifurcated portion 22 which is in contact with the arm 25. This downward movement of the portion 22 carries the arm 25 downward and to the right as viewed in Fig. 4, rotating the rocker shaft 23 in a. clockwise direction and carrying the arm 26 to the left, as mentioned above. Now referring to Fig. 3, it is seen that the leftward movement of the arm 26 causes the arm 28 to also move to the left and thus rotates the shaft 27 in a clockwise direction. This clockwise rotation of the shaft 27 causes the lug 28a to be moved to the right and out of engagement with thelug 29. The lugs 28a and 29 now being disengaged, the spring 40 will open the G sharp cover. Thus upon depression of the key 15 the G sharp cover is lifted.

The finger keys 16 and 17 are so located that upon the depression of either, the bifurcated portion 22 will move downwardly and carry with it the arm 25 and open the G sharp cover in the same manner as when the finger key 15 is depressed. It is thus possible to open the G sharp cover with the fingers of the right hand by depressing any one of the keys 15, 16, and 17.

The finger key 12 is operatively connected to the finger key 15 through the rocker shafts 50 and 53 and the lugs 51 and 52, so

that if the finger key 12 is depressed, against the action of its spring, it will move the finger key 15 downwardly, and thus open the G sharp cover. The fin er keys 13 and 14 are operatively connectec to the finger keys 16 and 17 so that the depression of either of the former will cause the corresponding one of the latter to move downwardly thus opening the G sharp cover. The G sharp cover may thus be also opened upon the depression of any one of the keys 12, 13, and 14; which are manipulated by the fingers of the left hand.

This arrangement of arms and rocker shafts enables the G sharp cover to be operated upon the depression of any one of the keys 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. In this way the single key for operating the G sharp cover as found in the old construction has been replaced by six means for operating this cover. It is now possible to control this cover with the fingers of either hand instead of just with the little finger of the left hand. This plurality of means for operating the G sharp cover will be readily appreciated by those familiar with a clarinet of this type. This construction also eliminates the inconvenient location of the operating means for the G cover and thus enables a clear, true tone to be sounded.

lVhen the group of finger rings 81, 82, and 83 and a similar group (not shown), just above the G sharp cover, are closed with the fingers, the following notes are sounded: C natural upon depression of the finger keys 12 or 15; B natural upon depression of the finger keys 13 or 16; and C sharp or D flat upon depression of the finger keys 14 or 17.

It will be seen from the above description that the invention provides a new and very desirable means for controlling the G sharp cover. The cover may now be operated by several fingers of either hand instead of by only the little finger of the left hand. The old construction, due to the inconvenientlocation of the G sharp finger key, often caused a slurry or two-toned note to be sounded, while this new and more convenient arrangement provides a means for sounding the clear true note.

lVhile one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is there fore not to be limited to the precise details disclosed, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clarinet comprising a high G sharp cover, other tone covers, and means operatively connected to said other covers for operatloo -' fingers of either hand.

' emmas ing the said G sharp cover with the fingers of the right hand.

2. A clarinet comprising a high G sharp connected to said O, F sharp and B covers for operating said G sharp cover when any one of said O, F sharp, or B covers are operated.

5. In a clarinet, the combination with a G sharp cover, of a".C cover, an F sharp cover, a B cover, means operatively connected to said O, F sharp, and B covers for operating saidG sharp coverwhen any one of said C, F sharp or B covers are operated, and means for operating said O, F sharp and B covers with the fingers of the left hand. a

6. In a clarinet, the combination with a G sharp cover, of a C cover, an F sharp cover, a B cover, and means operatively connected to said C, F sharp and B covers for operating said Gsharp cover with the fingers of either hand.

7. In a clarinet the combination with a high G sharp cover, of a C cover, an F sharp cover, a B cover, and means operatively connected to said C, F sharp and B covers for operating said G sharp cover when any one of the said C, F sharp or B covers are operated.

8. In a clarinet, the combination with a high G sharp cover, of a C cover, an F sharp cover, a B cover, means operatively connected to the C, F sharp and B covers for operating said G sharp cover when any one of C, F sharp or B covers are operated, and means for operating said C, F sharp and B covers with the fingers of the left hand.

9. A clarinet comprising a normally closed high G sharp cover, other covers, and means operatively connected to said other covers for opening said G sharp cover when said other covers are operated.

10. A clarinet comprising a normally closed high G sharp cover, other covers, means operatively connected to said other covers for opening said G sharp cover when said other covers are operated, and means for operating said other covers with the fingers of either hand.

11. A clarinet comprising a normally I closed G sharp cover, a C cover, an F sharp cover, a B cover, and means operatively connected-with said' C, 'F sharp .and- B covers for opening said G sharp cover. I

i 12. A clarinet comprising a normally close'd Gsharp'cover,aC cover, an F cover, aB cover, means operatively connectedto saidG,'-F sharp and B covers for opening said G sharp cover, and

means operatively connected to said C, F

sharp and B covers for operation thereof I with the fingers of the left hand.

13. A clarinet of the Boehm type having a normally closed Gsharp cover, C, F

sharp and B covers, and means operatively connected with said C, F sharp and B covers for opening said G sharp cover with vthe-fingers of the right hand.

14. A clarinet of the Boehm type having a normally closed G sharp cover, C, F sharp and B covers, and means operatively connected to said C, F sharp and B covers for opening said G sharp cover with the fingers of the left hand.

15. 'A clarinet'of the Boehm type having a normally closed G sharp cover, C, F sharp and B'covers, and means operatively connected with-said C"F sharp and B covers for opening said" G sharp cover with thefingers of either hand. i I

16. A clarinet comprising a body, a normal ly closed G sharp cover on said body, a spring connected to said cover tending to hold openi'piosition, a pring actuated C cover having a finger key operatively 0on nected thereto, a depending arm secured to said finger piece and having a bifurcated end, B and F sharp covers each having a fin-- ger piece operatively connected thereto and adjacent said bifurcated end, a first rocker shaft pivoted on said body and having an up wardly extending arm adjacent one end thereof positioned to engage said bifurcated end, a downwardly extending arm on said first rocker shaft at the end thereof remote from said upwardly extending arm, a third rocker shaft pivoted on said body and having an arm rigidly secured to said G sharp cover, said third rocker shaft also having a depending lug thereon, a second rocker shaft having a downwardly and longitudinally extendingarm contacting with said downwardly extending arm of said first rocker shaft, said second rocker shaft also having an upwardly extending lug normally eontactin shaft to hold said G sharp cover in closed position against the action of the spring, said upwardly extending lug on said second rockor shaft being movable away from said depending lug on the third rocker shaft upon with Said depending lu of the third rockercover having a 17. A clarinet comprising a body, a normally closed G sharp cover on said body, a spring connected to said cover tending to hold it in open position, aspring actuated C finger key operatively connected thereto, a depending arm secured to said linger piece and having a bifurcated end, B and F sharp covers each having a finger piece operatively connected thereto and adjacent said bifurcated end, a first rocker shaft pivoted on said body and having an upwardly extending arm adj acent one end thereof positioned to engage said bifurcated end, a downwardly extending arm on said first rocker shaft at the end thereof remote from said upwardly extending arm, a third rocker shaft pivoted on said body and having an arm rigidly secured to said G sharp cover, said third rocker shaft also having a depending lug thereon, a second rocker shaft having a downwardly and longitudinally extending arm contacting with said downwardly extending arm of said first rocker shaft, said second rocker shaft also having an upwardly extendin lug normally contacting with said depending lug of the third rocker shaft to hold said G sharp cover in closed osition against the action of the spring, sai upwardly extending lug on said second rocker shaft being movable away from said depending lug on the third rocker shaft upon the depression of the B, F sharp, or C fin ger pieces thus allowing the spring to open the G sharp cover.

ANDREA CICIOTTI. 

